The Avengers actor and the former Charlie's Angels TV star briefly dated in 2007, but now the newspaper says they "were spotted canoodling" in Studio City, Calif., on Monday, and dined together later on in West Hollywood.

Paramount Pictures/Marvel Entertainment(LOS ANGELES) -- Captain America: The First Avenger was the number-one movie last weekend, earning over 65 million dollars in its debut. The film stars Chris Evans, who was reluctant to take the title role at first. He rejected the part three times because he was afraid his life would become less private if the movie became a hit. Evans says he was worried that he wouldn't be able to "go to the gym, go to the grocery store, walk down the street without having people kind of recognize me" all the time.

Evans was also wary of committing to the Captain America role for what he says will be 10 years, given all the superhero films Marvel has in the pipeline. He says, "It was kind of just nerve-wracking. It was a giant commitment. Ten years is a long time....Who can really make a decision for the next 10 years of their lives. Anybody? Not really. But I did."

Neilson Barnard/Getty Images(NEW YORK) -- Chris Evans didn't jump at the chance to fill the title role in Captain America: The First Avenger, which opens next week. He initially rejected the chance to play the Marvel superhero, and once he changed his mind, he sought therapy.

According to the New York Times, Evans turned down Marvel multiple times when the studio expressed interest in hiring him as its Captain America, in part because it would require him to star in several of its upcoming superhero films.

He told the newspaper, "The reason I kept saying no is because I was scared. Maybe this is exactly what I had to do. Maybe this is exactly what I had to face."

Evans, who previously appeared as the Human Torch in the Fantastic Four films, said he sought therapy once he agreed to the role because, as he put it, he went into "panic mode."

"The second I agreed to do it, I was like, 'All right, I'll do this, but I've got to start working on my head,'" he said.

The Times reports that Evans received encouragement from two actors who have also played Marvel superheroes: Robert Downey Jr., who's portrayed Iron Man on the big screen, and Chris Hemsworth, who recently played the titular character in Thor. All three actors will reprise their superhero roles in the upcoming The Avengers movie, scheduled for a May 2012 release.